1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the management of systems installed on board aircraft and more particularly to a method and a device for sharing data between systems installed on board an aircraft in order to improve the control interface of these systems.
2. Discussion of the Background
The electronic and networking systems installed on board aircraft relate to distinct functionalities. A first type of systems, known as avionic, relates to assisting the aircraft crew in assuring its tasks of piloting, navigation, communication, environmental monitoring and mission management. This type of systems relates in particular to flight control systems, the automatic pilot, communication (voice and data) and navigation systems (radio, inertial, autonomous) systems and environmental monitoring systems (radar, weather, ground anti-collision and traffic anti-collision). In particular, mission management systems permit the pilot to manage his trajectory (ground preparation, flight tracking and modification) on the basis of airline company requirements, of integration of the aircraft into the air traffic and of the environment, such as weather reports and NOTAMs (acronym for NOtice To Air Men in English terminology). The second type of systems relates to generation and distribution of electrical capacity, generation and distribution of hydraulic capacity, generation of pneumatic capacity, air conditioning and pressurization, fuel management and the auxiliary power engine, known collectively as aircraft support subsystems.
These systems are independent of one another. They are controlled via separate interfaces.
In general, the control interfaces of the avionics and of mission management are disposed facing the pilot and on his sides, under the windshield, the control interface of the support subsystems being placed on the ceiling, between the pilot and the copilot, so as to be accessible to each.
FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an aircraft cockpit showing the position of the control interfaces of the different systems of the aircraft.
As illustrated, cockpit interface 100 can be divided into five main zones: the flight commands of the pilot and copilot, referenced 105-1, 105-2 and 105-3, the avionics control and mission management interfaces, referenced 110, 115 and 120, the main purpose of zone 120 being control of the automatic pilot, and the command interface of the support subsystems, referenced 125.
The flight controls referenced 105-1 to 105-3 have the purpose of controlling the main devices used to pilot an aircraft, and thus in particular of controlling yaw, pitch and roll. These commands are often mechanical or electrical.
The avionics control interface generally comprises a large number of buttons, each having a particular function. These buttons are substantially multi-position buttons, especially of the start/stop type as well as buttons of rotary switch type for defining values.
By virtue of the complex nature of the input information items, the mission management interface comprises alphanumeric input keys as well as pointing devices. Examples of the pointing device are a control ball, known as trackball in English terminology, or a tactile pad, known as touchpad in English terminology.
The support subsystem command interface, installed in the ceiling and known as OVHP (the initials for OVer Head Panel in English terminology) or OVH, comprises substantially multi-position buttons, especially of the start/stop type as well as buttons of rotary switch type. These buttons are generally provided with an illumination system, for example with the light shining through, by means of which an anomaly of the functionality associated with the button can be indicated. This system of signaling by illumination of buttons makes it possible to install a system management philosophy known as dark cockpit philosophy in English terminology, which consists in indicating the nominal state of a function by the dark state of its command buttons and, conversely, in indicating an abnormal state by the illuminated state of its command buttons. The application of this philosophy therefore makes it possible to identify a button quickly when a problem is detected and to view the status of all of the support subsystems.